On August 11, 1919, Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun laid the turf for the team that would heroically become one of the most superior and unique franchises in the National Football League (NFL). With their passion for the game and uncanny appeal to citizens of Green Bay, these men infused the Packers' beginnings with a vitality that transformed their history into a living legacy.
Long before this Packer team grew into the successful organization it is today (often selling Green Bay Packer tickets to fans all over the world), it began simply as the eager desire of two young men to play football. Out of passing conversation, Lambeau and Calhoun bore their idea for a team and realized their goal in the editorial room of the Green Bay Press-Gazette where Calhoun was sports editor. After soliciting $500 from the Indian Packing Co. where he worked as shipping clerk, Lambeau afforded a playing field and the blue and gold uniforms donned by the original Pack. The Packers' public identification with this namesake and the working people of Green Bay knotted their immediate tie to the community and commitment to their ever-loyal fans.
As a precursor to sitting in the valuable seats now reserved with Green Bay Packer tickets, fans crowded into the sideline space surrounding Hagemeister Park to feel the unbridled, unfenced action of first season Packers victories. When Calhoun passed his own hat through the crowd to collect donations to pay the players, a practice he made ritual in the first season, fans didn't hesitate to secure a deeper bond with their team. Their generosity marked the beginning of a long tradition of community sponsorship of the Packers and built a model of public ownership even before the franchise became nonprofit in 1922. Winning 10 of 11 games in their opening season against teams from Wisconsin and upper Michigan, the Packers appeared destined for an even stronger future.
The year 1921 welcomed this future maybe sooner than imagined. The days of turf seats and donations were replaced with bleachers and Green Bay Packer tickets as the city's treasure was crowned a franchise under Lambeau's reign as coach and general manager. With the folding of the Indian Packing Co. midway through their first season, Lambeau found a second faithful sponsor in Acme Packing Co. who entered them into the American Professional Football Association on August 27th of that year. This new football league became the NFL only a year later. The Packers retained their name, despite this change, and eventually became the team with the most enduring name in NFL history.
1922 proved a trying year for the young Packer franchise as Lambeau and his team faced threats of financial demise due to a scandal involving unapproved college players, on one occasion, and as a result of bad weather on another. Fortunately, general manager of the Press-Gazette, Andrew B. Turnbull, rescued them by turning the organization into a nonprofit corporation. Since community groups supported the team monetarily through its rough times, it's appropriate that the team's destiny was to be owned and protected by its fans. This fate tagged the Packers as a unique team in the NFL for they're still the only publicly owned franchise in the league with stock and a board of directors.
The years 1919 to 1922 were magical years for the Green Bay Packers. The spirit of this era continued to follow them as they pioneered through the milestones still ahead on their path. 1950 brought a year of change for Green Bay when Lambeau resigned from his position with the team. This shift in leadership also spurred a change in appearance for the Packers as green replaced the founding color blue on their uniforms. The players' new looks were matched with a new stadium on September 29, 1957. On this date fans bought the very first Green Bay Packer tickets advertising admission into their long awaited City Stadium. This stadium still stands proud and was renamed the memorable Lambeau Field in 1965 in honor of Curly Lambeau who died at age 67. It was most recently renovated in 2003, and Curly's larger than life presence still welcomes fans of all ages into his field.
Lambeau's vision has remained at the forefront of the Packers' mission since the beginning, and the immortal strength of this founder has undoubtedly inspired this franchise to achieve its dominant record of winning in the NFL. In total, the Packers have won 12 league championships, earning their first three prior to the establishment of the NFL playoff system. This record is stronger than any other teams' in the NFL. Green Bay is also the only team to have won three consecutive titles on two occasions: 1929-1931 and 1965-1967. The Packers achieved notable victories in the first two Super Bowl games ever played in 1966 and '67, and in the 1996 Super Bowl XXXI game they defeated New England to capture their most recent title. |  |
With stats like these it's no wonder why Green Bay fans are so loyally attracted to their team's pure love of the sport. The Packers are determined to play this game the way two young men in 1919 envisioned it to be played; they sought only the thrill of football as it was felt in open grass fields, beneath expansive sky, and in the welcomed presence of rain and snow. Green Bay's conviction to athletic purity and to their fans landed them the 8th spot on the 1999 Sports Illustrated list of the 20 best venues in the world to watch sports. Lambeau Field was the only NFL stadium to be recognized. A Green Bay Packer ticket admits fans to more than just seats; it invites them to become part of a living legacy!